50 Years of Wah Mei Workshop Series “華美五十周年” 工作坊
50 Years of Wah Mei is a workshop series, dedicated to telling stories of Chinese America and bilingual education in San Francisco. From panel discussions to film screenings, we will explore past and present stories to understand what the future might hold for Chinese America.
Panel 3: “50 Years after Lau v. Nichols” Panel Discussion
Date & Time: TBA
Location: TBA
In January of 1974, the parents of Kinney Kinmon Lau and other Chinese students with limited English proficiency changed the face of language learning in America. Since then, the fight for and against dual language learning represents the changing perspectives on the role of “meaningful” education in the United States. In 1998, Prop 227 required California public schools to teach with English-only instruction. In 2016, the California Multilingual Education Act made it easier for California’s 1.4 million English language learners to enroll in bilingual classes. These discussions are more alive than ever before. With the current state of a divided nation, Lau v. Nichols continues to hold an important precedent in not only dual language learning but also in an educational system that strives to be inclusive and culturally responsive.
“50 Years after Lau v. Nichols” welcomes teachers and administrators as they discuss the current state of dual language learning. This exciting panel discussion will explore the obstacles and future of education in San Francisco and beyond.
Moderated by: TBA
Panelists: TBA
Past Events:
Panel 1: Cantonese and/or Mandarin?: The Language of Chinese America
Date & Time: January 27, 2024 at 1-3 PM
Location: Wah Mei Extended Learning (1555 Irving St)
San Francisco boasts a diverse community of over 150,000 Chinese-speaking residents. The city’s rich tapestry reflects California’s immigration history, shaped significantly by the influx of Cantonese and Taishanese immigrants since the Gold Rush era. As China has grown economically and politically… allowing for more migration, including from those from Taiwan, Mandarin has been on the rise. This linguistic transformation has sparked debates about the allocation of resources and funding within the community and where the future of language is.
Join us for “Cantonese or Mandarin?: The Language of Chinese America”! This session will illuminate the experiences of Cantonese and Mandarin-speaking educators and individuals, providing valuable insights into the linguistic dynamics of the Chinese diaspora. Should Chinese bilingual education focus on Cantonese or Mandarin? What are the pros and cons of doing so? Don’t miss this opportunity to delve into the complexities of language evolution within Chinese America!
Moderated by:
Julia Quon, Save Cantonese CCSF
Julia Quon 關美欣, is a proud San Francisco native and child of immigrants, with a background in healthcare and education. She was previously a community health educator at Huckleberry Youth Services and lead volunteer doula at San Francisco General Hospital. With a strong commitment to cultural diversity, she advocates for preserving Cantonese at CCSF and actively volunteers in her community. Drawing on over three years of doula experience, Julia is dedicated to making a positive impact as the current co-director of community health with the Nursing Student Association at San Francisco State.
Panelists:
Liana Szeto, Principal of Alice Fong Yu Alternative School
Liana Szeto is the founding principal of Alice Fong Yu (AFY) Alternative K-8 School, the nation’s first Chinese immersion public school. In 1984, she was part of the design launch team of Chinese immersion, an innovative idea that was not offered or valued at its time. She led Alice Fong Yu School from a small local pilot program of one hundred twenty-five (125) students to a National Blue Ribbon School (2012), California Distinguished School, and Gold Ribbon School with an enrollment of almost six hundred (600) students. In 2000, Liana developed and implemented a cultural exchange program where the eighth grade class could travel to China for two weeks. In exchange, students from China spent a week in San Francisco and stayed and learned from American host families. Today, Liana continues to be a leader and advocate for rigorous bilingual, multicultural education for students from all ethnic backgrounds in public schools. Her leadership at Alice Fong Yu continues to be a national model for Chinese immersion programs around the country.
Joanna Szeto, 4th Grade Bilingual Educator at Gordon J. Lau Elementary School
Joanna Szeto is a teacher, writer, and mother of two. She teaches a 4th grade Cantonese class in San Francisco. She writes stories in English and Chinese. Her stories are published on ichinesereader.com and Storyshares.org. She writes her own little Chinese readers to sell on teacherspayteachers.com through her store Working Wonders.
Lori Liao, Former Director of the Weekend Chinese School at Wah Mei
Lori began her journey at Wah Mei as a parent, a teacher, and later the Director of the Weekend Chinese School. For three years, She received the prestigious Association of Northern California Chinese School Exceptional Educator Award. Under Lori’s leadership, Wah Mei Weekend Chinese School grew to 140+ students, exploring ways to empower communal and collaborative learning. Today, she continues to serve the Wah Mei community behind the scenes.
Panel 2: 50 years of Chinese America: A Movie Night for the Entire Family 美國華人五十年: 全家共度電影之夜
Date & Time: April 19, 2024 at 6-9 PM
Location: 1555 Irving Street
Join our 50 Years of Chinese America movie night, which will include snacks, dinner, and laughs! With the theme of generational and cultural divide, our selected movies will make both parents and children reflect! Screenings are followed by community discussion. The screening is free, but please RSVP for seating and dinner options as seating is limited.
與我們一齊觀看 “美國華人五十年“，一個充滿小食、晚餐和歡笑的電影之夜！以世代和文化代溝為主題，我們精選的電影將引發家長和孩子們共同思考！放映結束後將進行小組討論。
Screening:
Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart (1985)
This Wayne Wang classic film tells the story of a mother and daughter who are at odds over the fact that the daughter has not married yet.
點心：A Little Bit of Heart (1985)
這部經典電影講述了一對母女與美籍華人家庭因為女兒還沒結婚的事實而發生爭執的故事。電影結束後會有問答環節.
Turning Red (2022)
Mei is torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the changes of adolescence… and if that was not hard enough, she has to keep a large family secret!
青春變形記 (2022)
小美在繼續做母親的孝女和青春期的變化之間左右為難……如果這樣還不夠艱難的話，她還必須保守一個巨大的家庭秘密！